Chapter One.
The first thing I did when I stepped outside was finding the one big, zip-up hoodie I owned and hastily throwing it on. Ohio, at four in the afternoon on New Year's Eve was sitting on somewhere around negative ten degrees Celsius. It was a temperature shock and a half, considering I'd stepped onto this plane fifteen hours ago in Brisbane, and it was around thirty degrees. In jeans and a jumper I was still shivering, but that became the least of my worries. I looked out onto the city, and all I could see was tall building after tall building, all covered in snow. Around me, people fought over taxis and trolleys, said hasty or extensive hello's or goodbye's - but they all seemed to know what they were doing. I, on the other hand, had no idea where I was going or how I was getting there. I unfolded an oversized map, only to have it blown into my face by a gust of ice cold wind. I half-folded, half-scrunched the map up and shoved it back in my bag. Winging it seemed like a good plan.
Half an hour's walk later, I was pretty sure winging it was most definitely not a good plan. My converse were soaked from walking through the snow, my hands were blue from the cold, and my whole face - correction, my whole body - felt like a giant ice cube. I really should have prepared better for this whole snow-ice-wind-cold business. Then again, there wasn't really time. My planning and preparation for this consisted of putting every single cent I owned into one bank account, buying a ridiculously cheap last minute plane ticket for some airline that sounded more than dodgy, and, lastly, packing a bunch of clothes into a duffle bag and dropping my keys into my parents' mailbox. Twenty hours later, I was in Ohio and lost.
It was only four thirty, but it was starting to get dark already. So this is what real winter is like, I thought. Can't say I was too fond of it, really. I needed a motel of some sort. Preferably before everything was shut and the entire city were busy drinking, partying and watching the fireworks, as I froze in the streets.
A couple of blocks later I could no longer feel my feet, but I finally found a place to stay- the American version of a backpackers motel. Fine by me - anything that was cheap yet still had hot water and a bed would do. I stepped into a dimly lit foyer, with a sort of yellow tinge to it - probably because of the slightly odd looking light on the ceiling, which looked like it could well be a remainder of the sixties. The middle aged woman behind the desk completed the scene, with a perm and bright red lip stick she was in the process of painting her nails to match. But I was too tired and cold to even notice the grey, stained carpet beneath my feet, and chose to simply focus on the fact that I was slowly warming up, because as crappy as this place looked - its heating system was working well.
"Hey," I started.
"Welcome to the Firebird Inn." She said, without even looking up.
Her name tag said Gloria. How fitting. I almost laughed, but even my grin faded when she eventually looked up at me - probably because I wasn't saying anything. I was too busy taking it all in.
"Were you just gonna stand there all night, or did you actually want something?"
"Uhm, I need a room."
"Sorry, can't help ya." She turned back to her nails.
This had to be some sort of sick joke.
"Excuse me, but...you're a motel."
"Your point?"
"You should have a room! That's how you make a living!"
"They're all booked."
"You're kidding."
There was no way that was true. I mean, the place wasn't huge- but it also really wasn't that great.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?"
No, she really didn't. Shit.
"It's New Year's Eve kid, what do you expect? This is the kind of day where you need to book in advance."
God, her accent was annoying. American accents seemed cool on TV, but both Gloria and Customs Man increased my desire to stab them with every word they said.
I ran my hands through my hair. Okay, calm down, I told myself.
"Thanks." I muttered as I walked outside, lacking both motivation and faith that everything would be okay.
I stepped back out into the street and cursed. Over and over again. This was actually the stupidest thing I'd ever done. I was never going to find a place. I got out my map to somehow try and find my way back to the airport. I was going home. But even the map couldn't help me - I had no clue where I was, and I didn't have a flight booked either. Given that the crappy motel didn't even have a room on New Year's Eve, I was sort of doubtful I'd get a flight out of here.
"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit."
"I think you need a stronger word, before you lose your voice shouting that one over and over again."
I spun around to find someone standing behind me, about three feet away.
"I need dry clothes, a bed, heating, and or a flight home - not a stronger word." I snapped back.
"Woah, you Aussies really have an attitude and a half, don't you?"
"How'd you know I'm from Australia?'
"Seriously?"
"Okay, dumb question. Where are you from?"
"New York, baby."
"Don't call me baby."
"Sure thing, sweetheart." He winked.
"You're a creep."
But I wasn't scared of him, for whatever reason. He had a non-threatening air about him, so all his comments just seemed cocky, really.
"A creep who can help you though."
Now he had my attention. Sure, as a kid I was taught to never trust strangers. But I was desperate enough to listen, and not scared of him enough to consider whatever he was about to offer - provided it really would help me, of course.
"Continue."
"I've got a room for rent. And I really do need to rent it out, because I can't actually pay the rent for the apartment alone."
"How much?"
"Seventy-five a week? It's not much of an apartment really. It's just a temporary thing, I'm moving on in a month or two. Maybe three, depending how things go."
"Does it have a heating system that works and hot water?"
He laughed.
"Yes."
"A bed?"
"Yeah. I've even got a set of clean sheets you can have, believe it or not."
"I'm in."
"Sweet. Let's go home."
He started walking, as I stood dumbstruck in the street for a minute. He turned his head over his shoulder.
"Yo, roomie - you coming?"
I snapped out of my momentary trance and took a few quick steps in his direction.
"I'm JC, by the way."
He took off his coat and put it around my shivering shoulders. I smiled - maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all.
